Paratus Group Launches “Paratus 500” to Expand Pan-African Connectivity
Pan-African telecommunications provider, Paratus Group, has announced the launch of “Paratus 500”, marking a significant milestone following the Group’s expansion into seven additional African markets this year, including Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
With licences to operate in 15 African countries, Paratus now becomes one of the first pan-African telcos to cover over 500 million people south of the equator, representing more than one-third of Africa’s population and GDP.
Paratus 500 connects all 15 licensed operations through a contiguous telecom network spanning terrestrial fibre routes, strategic subsea cable landings and advanced satellite integration, including Starlink. This ensures secure, scalable and high-quality connectivity across sub-equatorial Africa.
Key infrastructure includes the East West Connect route, running from Maputo on Africa’s east coast, through Johannesburg, Botswana and Namibia, to the Equiano Cable Landing Station in Swakopmund on the west coast. Paratus operates five satellite teleports and nearly 10,000 active satellite services, ensuring dependable connectivity across all markets.
Strategic terrestrial links connect Johannesburg to Lubumbashi in southern DRC, crossing Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. In Botswana, Paratus has deployed a diverse fibre network to strengthen national coverage and cross-border stability.
Subsea cable systems form a core part of Paratus 500, with landing points in Angola, DRC, France, Kenya, Portugal, UK, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania, providing direct access to global internet hubs, and extending across the Atlantic to Brazil, the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
The Paratus Express Route, powered by the Equiano subsea cable, delivers ultra-low latency connectivity from Johannesburg and Namibia to Europe and the USA, with up to 20 times more capacity than previous West Coast cables.
Paratus has also integrated LEO (low earth orbit) satellite services, enhancing coverage in remote and underserved areas where terrestrial infrastructure is limited.
Schalk Erasmus, CEO of Paratus Group, said: “With Paratus 500, we now have the widest licensed coverage in sub-equatorial Africa, a goal we have pursued for many years. This milestone enables us to connect people and businesses across the region with reliable, high-quality network services. Our continued investment in fibre, satellite and strategic partnerships empowers us to deliver scalable connectivity solutions to wholesale, enterprise and individual customers, providing the freedom to connect anywhere, anytime.”
The launch of Paratus 500 reflects sustained investment in robust infrastructure, local operations and strategic partnerships, supporting seamless connectivity across fibre, satellite, microwave, SD-WAN and MPLS technologies. Through this diversified network, Paratus delivers a resilient, scalable and customer-focused platform designed to enable growth and opportunities across the region.
